


Young Ones

by AzuraJae



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Character Study, Gen, Heavy Angst, Jack Morrison makes a cameo at the end, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Motherhood, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 23:12:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9571046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzuraJae/pseuds/AzuraJae
Summary: Ana had thought, that she would welcome death if it came, she had a good run. Ana was old, she already lived her time.But it was hard to watch when the young ones had to go first.It was the hardest to watch her own young one go first.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I've been trying my hardest to write an Overwatch Fanfic, but for some reason, it just ain't doing it for me. So far I've written 8 FanFics, specifically ALL about Pharah and Ana; and all of them are stuck in this weirdass limbo where I have good ideas, but I can't complete it for some reason...
> 
> Out of my frustration, I wrote this one-shot fic and I have decided that I want to post it.

Ana knew that one day, she would have to say goodbye to her dear daughter. It was a given, considering the short life spans that all humans have.

However, she thought she would be the one saying goodbye, not the other way around.

She should have known something like this could have always happened, that it was just a matter of luck that even she was able to live for so long while in the front lines. Ana had thought, that she would welcome death if it came, she had a good run. Ana was old, she already lived her time.

But it was hard to watch the young ones go first.

It was the hardest to watch her own young one go first.

Time had slowed when there was a thundering shot. Ana had turned her head just in time to see a blur of blue fall out of the sky, crashing into a pile of debris strewn about. Her heart had stopped and she cried out for her daughter. She waited for a response, a response to tell her that she was okay, but the comms were silent.

Ana dropped what she was doing and practically flew over to where she had seen Fareeha fallen. Even before she got close, Ana somehow knew what she was going to see, but her heart knew the truth. When she finally made it to Fareeha’s side, she felt something painful wrench her heart.

There was a horrendous bullet would having pierced right through her armor and straight through her chest, right her heart was. Blood was already pooling underneath where she had landed.

“Fareeha, my daughter...” she said in exasperation, kneeling down next to her, her mind and body fumbling on what to do next.

Her heart jumped for joy when she saw Fareeha’s hand flinch and Ana immediately took it in her own to let Fareeha know she was there. She was still alive, Ana assured herself. Everything was okay, they’ll get back alright. She'll get through this.

“Don’t worry, Fareeha. I know it hurts, but...” Ana assured her daughter. “...Stay with me, and I’ll get us home safe.”

Fareeha turned her head slightly at Ana to the sound of her voice, her tortured eyes peeking from underneath the beak of her helmet. For a moment, the two just stared at each other. Finally, after a few seconds, Ana felt her daughter’s hand clutch hers tightly. There was a watery look in Fareeha’s eyes as she pressed her lips together and she shakily swallowed. Ana squeezed Fareeha's hand when she saw her daughter's breathing growing more labored. Fareeha pressed her eyes close for a moment before looked up at her mother and gave a pained, but sad smile.

There was an audible silence as the light in Fareeha’s eyes and expression faded away; the hand that Ana was clutching fell limp.

Ana waited silently. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for, the instant Ana saw the life exit Fareeha’s eyes, Ana knew what had happened. However, knowing what happened and accepting what happened were two very different things. It was like someone had hallowed up her heart, she wasn't sure what to feel. Eventually, the reality of the situation started to sink.

“Fareeha?” Ana asked, almost choked as an icy claustrophobic feeling overcame her. “حبيبتى, _please_ …”

Ana knew that pleading now wouldn't do anything, simply nothing could be done, but something in her was desperate for an answer. She just wanted one answer, just one answer...please...

“Fareeha من فضلك…” Ana begged, growing more frantic by the second. “Don’t do this, _please_ …” She clutched her daughter’s lifeless hand, practically crushing it in her grip.” Fareeha…! Don’t!”

The silence was more enough of an answer for Ana’s cries.

* * *

 

**-~*~-**

* * *

 

Ana wanted to be angry, but in reality, she was devastated than she was furious. No, Ana tried to be angry, she really did, but every time she built up enough steam, Fareeha’s last moments flashed in her mind and the anger would be the washed over by the grief. She wanted to blame the enemies, the one who was causing this horrible war, the one who caused this whole mess.

But when it came to it, Ana only blamed herself.

Had she been paying closer attention to the sniper, or perhaps she could have influenced a different course of action during the mission's planning phase, Fareeha’s death could have been avoided. Maybe if she had been a better parent, maybe Fareeha would have chosen a different path to take. Something, anything she could have done to prevent. She could have done something...but Ana knew deep inside that no matter how much she bargained with herself, it wasn’t going to solve anything, especially not the horrible anguish she felt inside.

Fareeha had grown up alongside heroes and that upbringing instilled a strong sense of justice and heroism. Overwatch had left an everlasting impression on her and no matter what anyone said to her, not even her Ana, her mother, could have changed her mind. Coupled with the fact that she had Amari blood in her, Fareeha was destined to become a guardian of peace and a hero. Fareeha knew what she wanted and Ana knew she couldn’t stop her from walking down that path. She had even told her, that Ana would support her decision to tread down this fate.

Ana wondered to herself that maybe, it would have been better to argue with Fareeha instead give her daughter the support, but Ana had been glad when their relationship was amended.

Ana wondered if this was how Fareeha had felt like when she got the knew that she died. Perhaps this was karma coming to bite her where it hurts, except this time, Fareeha was surely dead. Ana had seen it with her own eyes, as much as she didn’t want to believe it. She had regretted so much, that she missed out on a very large portion of Fareeha’s life and something she will never be able to get back. Ana wished she spent more time with her daughter, but it was too late now.

It all felt like a bad dream and sometimes Ana would wake up believing everything was alright. She wanted to go to Fareeha’s room and tell her about the bad dream she had, but reality would sink in and Ana would be sucked down back into this bottomless pit where she couldn't do anything but grieve.

The agents of Overwatch offered their grievances to her, telling Ana that Fareeha was a brave soldier and that she went out like a true hero, that she would be remembered for all of history.

That didn’t matter to Ana. All she wanted was her dear baby daughter back. No amount of honor or medals they awarded Fareeha would truly make things feel better. They were just awarding an empty casket and a tombstone after all.

Fareeha’s funeral was small and rather quick. Despite having been there with Fareeha, they were forced to abandoned her body so they could escape the battle. The only memento they took from Fareeha was her helmet. Her body was left to rot in the piled debris where she had been shot down. It hurt Ana that they could properly bury her and that she would have to let nature do its thing, but these things to happen a lot. Who knows how many bones of fallen soldiers were buried underneath their feet, eroded away by time and weather?

It was an endless nightmare that Ana couldn’t wake from.

Ana had become so despondent that she was removed from the list of ‘Active Overwatch Agents’ and was given a very long break. Her team was understanding of her situation, but none of them could offer any true words of encouragement to a grieving mother. Most of them were children themselves and they simply did not know what to say to Ana, other than to tell her that they were sorry and that they were here for her. The sentiments were nice and honestly, Ana was touched at their kindness, but the depression was too heavy a toll on Ana for her to properly appreciate their efforts.

She spent most of her days, lounging in the common room, her eyes fixated on the door that the agents would use upon returning from the mission. Ana willed for Fareeha to open that door and reveal that she was all and well, but that was a delusion on Ana’s part at a pitiful attempt to make herself feel better. It was sad, really, that she was waiting for someone she knew was never going to come back.

Honestly, Ana’s anguish was so intense that she considered just...not living anymore. She knew that it was a silly idea to even think that. There was nothing Ana could treasure more than human life and she hated that the concept of war had to waste so many, but it just hurt. The guilt and the agony of losing her only child were just so strong, she just didn’t want to feel anymore.

But one day, a couple months after Fareeha’s death, Ana had a dream. A dream she would remember for the rest of her life.

She dreamed that she was sitting at the dinner table, back in their old home at the old Overwatch base. Ana had been doing something, she wasn’t quite sure, the dream didn’t really specify, but it seemed to occupy her mind a little. Then suddenly, a voice called out to her.

“Mum!”

The familiarity of the voice broke Ana out of what she was doing and she turned around to see a much younger Fareeha, much like she was when the original strike team was still assembled. Ana quickly stopped what she was doing and got up from the table. She walked over to Fareeha who seemed to be very happy to see her and crouched so they were at an eye level.

“Mum!” She said again, looking at Ana with excited eyes.

“What is it?” she asked the young girl.

Fareeha looked at Ana with a surprised look on her face, but then she laughed and jumped on Ana, giving her a tight hug. Ana was startled by the sudden affection, but she hugged her daughter back. It was nice, but something in Ana ached excruciatingly. Ana felt like she had forgotten something important and she knew that something was wrong with this dream, but it was so nice she didn't want to what was wrong.

When Fareeha pulled out of the hug, she wasn’t the small young Fareeha, but the seasoned soldier Fareeha. She was dressed in her Raptora suit and she looked exactly like how Ana had remembered. The bright look in her eyes shone brighter than any star Ana had seen and had a big smile on her face.

“Mum,” she said, looking at her warmly. Her voice sending shivers up Ana’s spine.

Fareeha then gave one more hug before looking straight at Ana with gentle eyes, glistening with what was the beginning of tears.

“Thank you.” She grinned. “Thank you for everything, mum.”

It was then the whole scene faded into white and Ana found herself rousing from sleep. She looked at her and realized that she was in her room, the sunlight filtering through one of the windows near her bedside. It took her a while to realize that it all had been a dream, and when she remembered what really happened to Fareeha, she was overcome with sadness one more, but something was different this time.

Fareeha’s gentle smiling face from her dream flashed through her mind. Even though Ana knew that it was just a dream and that it never really happened, the very nature of the dream and the fact that Fareeha appeared in her dream felt therapeutic. It was almost as if it was Fareeha somehow letting her know that it was all right.

After the meaning of the dream began to sink in, Ana had cried harder than she had ever before. The tears wouldn't stop and she began to sob uncontrollably in the emptiness of her room. She didn’t even cry as much during the funeral, but this time all the emotion just poured out. It hurts, it will never stop hurting Ana that the young sweet daughter she knew was dead, but at the same time, Ana was glad that she was given a chance to raise Fareeha, even though her life ended much too early. She was so thankful to have such a strong, kindhearted daughter. Despite everything she had to go through, Ana realized that love and turmoil the two had, in the end, Ana was glad Fareeha was her daughter.

It hurt, it's so agonizing to realize that she was never going to see Fareeha again. The feeling was an unexplainable horrible and pain that could never truly be soothed, but Ana realized that she _wanted_ it to hurt. The more it hurt, the more powerful Fareeha’s memory became. If it hurt to remember Fareeha, then Ana didn’t mind that it hurt. Fareeha could be remembered forever.

Ana never had a dream as sweet as that again, but then again, Ana didn’t need one.

It took a while, but it took a full year for Ana to fully accept what had happened. It wasn’t easy, but after hanging on to the wonderful memories they had spent together, it made Fareeha’s life all the more precious to Ana. Looking at the big picture, if Fareeha hadn’t been in the battle where she died, they wouldn’t have completed the mission. She was an essential piece to the game, so her death wasn’t in vain. The others were right, Fareeha did go out like a hero.

At first, Ana wanted to lay down her gun and stop fighting, but after the dream, she decided couldn’t let others suffer the same fate as Fareeha or let anyone feel the terrible anguish she had to go through. Ana knew that Fareeha would have wanted the innocent safe and the world at peace. The least Ana could do in her memory is continue to fight with that sentiment.

And in a way, Ana could hang the relationship she had with her.

“You’ve been more chipper lately, Ana,” Jack commented, looking glad to see her much happier. “After... what happened, I didn’t think you’d want to get back on the field.”

Ana smiled, somewhat sadly, eyeing the ground. “I was a bit confused for a while...and to be honest, I rather not be back on the field...” She looked at Jack, a determined look on her face. “But I have reaffirmed my goal now.”

Jack looked at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

“I will protect the innocent,” Ana responded.

**Author's Note:**

> AKA What happens when you kill Pharah in front of Ana in the game.  
> I don't know, it just felt good to write it xD
> 
> I am super thirsty for more interactions between Pharah and her mom, because to me it's just an interesting dynamic and relationship they have going on. I really want an explanation to how their relationship got better after Pharah got the letter, because I do not believe that Pharah was all chipper when she received a letter from her supposedly dead mom.


End file.
